the New

August 2009 • V. 7 • No. 1
PTI JOURNAL
JOURNAL OF THE POST-TENSIONING INSTITUTE
PT-Gray is
the New
Green
41 Sustainability and
Post-Tensioned Concrete
CASE STUDY
CASE STUDIES
SUSTAINABILITY AND
POST-TENSIONED CONCRETE
GRAY IS THE NEW GREEN
by Martin R. Maingot
INTRODUCTION
The environmental impact of a building can be
managed in many ways: while a large part is achieved
through efficient operation and maintenance, it is creative
layout and design that ultimately take full advantage
of building green. Considerable improvements in
efficiency can be realized by focusing on a building’s
basic structural frame design and layout. For example,
the use of post-tensioning can reduce foundation,
column, wall and slab sizes, floor-to-floor height, and
decrease site shoring/ground excavation requirements.
In high seismic regions, post-tensioning provides the
added benefit of reduced seismic forces and material
demand due to lower seismic mass. Moreover, many
nonstructural elements in post-tensioned buildings
benefit from reduced floor-to-floor height, such as Fig. 1—2201 Westlake, Seattle, WA. (Photo courtesy of
mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems; exterior Callison Architecture.)
cladding; vertical transportation systems; and interior
architectural features. The following case study will provide examples
The most recognized green building rating system of how the use of post-tensioning provided a highly
in the U.S. was developed by the United States Green efficient structural system that significantly reduced
Building Council (USGBC), known as Leadership in materials and construction cost while also offering
Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®). For new noteworthy contributions to overall occupant health
construction (LEED®-NC), the rating system currently and comfort.
offers four certification levels that are awarded based
on points earned in each of six categories. More CASE STUDY: 2201 WESTLAKE, SEATTLE, WA
information regarding the LEED® rating system can be 2201 Westlake (Fig. 1) is a two-tower 450,000 ft2
found at www.usgbc.org. (42,000 m2) post-tensioned cast-in-place concrete mixed-
The LEED®-NC system, in its current form, use development recently constructed in the South Lake
concentrates heavily on architectural and mechanical Union in downtown Seattle, WA. With a seven-story
systems due to its derivation from energy program office building and a 14-story office/condominium tower
initiatives. A building's basic structural frame, over a five-level podium, 2201 Westlake is receiving wide
however, can still contribute points through two of the market acceptance. A five-level underground garage
six LEED®-NC categories: materials and resources, and provides parking for both residential and nonresidential
innovation and design. Despite the limited contribution users. The ground floor offers 21,000 ft2 (1950 m2)
of the basic structural frame for LEED® certification, a of retail/restaurant space with a reconfigured
well-developed building layout can lead to substantial street intersection along its north side. This creates a
material reductions that, while not directly addressed generous pedestrian area complete with colored concrete
by LEED®, lie at the true core of building green. sidewalks, art features, bike racks, and large planted areas.
PTI JOURNAL | August 2009 41
CASE STUDIES
Fig. 4—Typical framing plan at office level. (Illustration
courtesy of Cary Kopczynski & Company.)
Fig. 2—Open office space available with post-tensioning.
(Photography by Larry Gill.)
Fig. 3—Typical parking framing plan. (Illustration courtesy Fig. 5—Drop head framing at residential units. (Illustration
of Cary Kopczynski & Company.) courtesy of Cary Kopczynski & Company.)
The development features 300,000 ft2 (28,000 m2) of 43 ft (13.1 m). The reduced floor-to-floor height
of sustainable office space (Fig. 2), 135 luxury and long spans at the residential tower required a
condominiums known as Enso, and residential much different approach as column transfers could
amenities, such as a guest suite for overnight visitors, not be accommodated (Fig. 5). The floor framing
a roof deck with an indoor/outdoor fireplace, lounging therefore employed a “drop head” technique which
and sunning areas, dining and entertainment areas, eliminated the need for interior columns and allowed
and a state-of-the-art exercise facility. The project longer floor spans and more useable living space. The
has targeted LEED Silver certification for its innovative drop head design involved thickening the floor slab
and eco-friendly design, but anticipates achieving Gold. in the corridors surrounding the stair/elevator core
The architectural layout of the office tower and where the clear height was less critical. The thickened
parking circulation below played a key role in selecting a slab acted as a cantilever support off the core wall,
post-tensioned slab and wide shallow beam system to increasing the floor span by approximately the width
minimize columns, increase spans, and provide more of the corridor. The drop head design approach
open space. For the garage and office framing (Fig. 3 and borrows the ceiling space from mechnical, electrical,
4), the design uses 8 in. (200 mm) thick slabs and and plumbing (MEP) and redirects it from the corridors
42 in. (1070 mm) wide by 18 in. (460 mm) deep beams, to the dropped ceiling within the residential unit’s
with typical slab spans of 28 ft (8.5 m) and beam spans entryway foyer. The drop head was thickened from
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CASE STUDIES
8 to 18 in. (200 to 460 mm) to allow for spans up
to 40 ft (12.2 m). The resulting column free space
placed more of the structure’s dead load on the stair/
elevator core, thereby “precompressing” the core and
allowing seismic overturning forces to be resisted more
efficiently. The drop head design also had a positive
effect throughout the remainder of the building;
fewer columns meant fewer space allocation challenges
and eliminated potentially intrusive transfer beams
that would have competed for valuable retail and
parking space at the lower levels. Fewer columns can
also translate to greater occupant comfort within office
and residential spaces by providing greater open
space; unobstructed views; and greater flexibility with
furniture, appliances, and décor arrangements (Fig. 6).
The drop head design did not come without a
price. While post-tensioning quantities increased by
approximately 0.25 lb/ft2 (1.2 kg/m2) beyond what
would have been required for a conventional flat plate
system, the design also cut wall reinforcing requirements
by an estimated 10 to 20%. The end result was a slight
overall cost increase. Benefits gained by the removal of
columns far outweighed the additional cost, however.
The post-tensioned subterranean parking levels
used a carefully designed concrete mixture that minimized
drying shrinkage and moderate post-tensioning to
mitigate the slabs’ shortening tendencies. The typical 9 ft
(2.7 m) floor-to-floor height created through the use
of a post-tensioned system provided direct savings in
reduced excavation, temporary shoring, and basement Fig. 6—Interior view of unit. (Illustration courtesy of Vulcan
wall requirements. Inc. and Cary Kopczynski & Company.)
When compared to a nonprestressed floor system,
post-tensioning subterranean parking decks improve retail was designed for a reducible live load of 225 psf
serviceability, shorten the construction cycle, and (10.8 kPa) and an added dead load of 75 psf (3.6 kPa)
increase slab span capability. in anticipation of future storage mezzanines. The girder
The structure’s lateral resistance is provided by 24 in. length and loading requirements made post-tensioning
(610 mm) thick full-height shear walls located at the the only viable choice to provide adequate support and
stair and elevator cores. Maintaining column and wall keep long-term deflections within acceptable limits.
sizes for the full building height enhanced constructibility The post-tensioned slabs were specified with a
and condensed overall construction time. Labor compressive strength of 6000 psi (41 MPa) at 56 days.
costs and construction time were further reduced In addition, a minimum slab compressive strength
by eliminating the need to “puddle” high-strength of 3000 psi (21 MPa) at 3 days was specified for early
concrete at columns. stressing purposes. The slab concrete strength was
The ground floor loading dock is supported by compatible with the high-strength concrete at the columns
a 24 in. (610 mm) wide by 140 in. (3550 mm) deep such that the column design remained unaffected.
post-tensioned girder that spans approximately 112 The office tower is supported by mat foundations
ft (34.1 m). In addition, the girder supports a large at the stair and elevator cores. The foundations are
portion of the ground floor retail space and a parking tied to the perimeter walls to resist overturning
access ramp. The loading dock was designed for a and minimize settlements. The residential tower is
nonreducible live load of 250 psf (12.0 kPa) and an also supported by a mat foundation but covers the
added dead load of 100 psf (4.8 kPa). The ground floor full tower footprint. To reduce concrete volume and
PTI JOURNAL | August 2009 43
CASE STUDIES
close proximity to various public transportation options
and basic services that help reduce dependence on cars.
2201 Westlake truly represents the state of the art
in green building technology.
PTI Professional Member Martin R. Maingot is an
Associate with Cary Kopczynski & Company, Inc., PS.
He is a professional and structural engineer.
Fig. 7—Construction of mat foundation. (Photo courtesy of
Cary Kopczynski & Company.)
temporary shoring depth, the bottom of the mat was
tapered from 7 ft (2.1 m) at the center to 5 ft (1.5 m)
along the perimeter (Fig. 7).
Cast-in-place post-tensioned concrete provided
multiple framing options during conceptual design,
particularly with column coordination between the
parking levels and office space above. For most urban
developments, parking layout plays a pivotal role in
determining the fate of a proposed building—if parking
doesn't work, the building can potentially remain in
conceptual design indefinitely.
SUMMARY
2201 Westlake provided many examples where the
use of post-tensioning created significant reductions
in materials and shortened the construction schedule.
Post-tensioning provides building designers with a
sophisticated tool to create unique and efficient structural
systems characterized by flexible column layouts, long
cantilevers, improved serviceability, reduced depth,
and limited cracking, just to name a few.
The 2201 Westlake development also has integrated
green building features such as dual flush toilets;
concrete countertops; 100% recycled carpets; non-VOC
paints, sealants, and adhesives; energy-efficient heat
pumps, central broiler, windows, and appliances; and
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